Trustworthy
by Night-the-Dragon
Summary: In a world of animal hybrids, Sasuke is a cat longing to see the light at the end of the tunnel after 9 years of beatings, and that light comes in the form of his old best friend, Naruto, a fox. But after a sick twist from Sasuke's father, will Sasuke ever trust Naruto again? NaruSasu, Yaoi, Rape, Lemons, Mpreg.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: For some reason, I kept thinking about something like this, and I finally decided to act on it. Now, Sasuke and Naruto are 17 to start in this fic, and once again it's an animal hybrid world fic. I can't help myself! They're just too cute like that! And I apologize, Sasuke's gonna be kinda OOC in this. Enjoy~

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the story.

Trustworthy

Chapter 1

X*X(Sasuke's POV)X*X

"You pathetic boy! You'll never be anything like your brother," my father, Fugaku, spat at me before slamming the door to my room, locking it behind him and trapping me inside. I winced at the loud slam, my black cat ears folding back as tears threatened to fall, but I shuddered heavily and took a deep breath to keep them back, despite the protesting pain from my side at the action. My pride as an Uchiha wouldn't let me cry. My father had given me his weekly beating for me early, which wasn't too surprising, considering his work was becoming stressful like it normally does during this time of the year. I was given several kicks to my left side, bruising it and possibly breaking a rib or two, some cuts and bruises along my arms, and even a black right eye this time. I wrapped my slender black tail around myself as my mother, Mikoto, unlocked the door and entered, carrying medical supplies. This was normal for me, unfortunately. My father would drink after a stressful day, beat me, throw me in my room, and then send my mother in to clean me up afterwards so not everyone would know about it. During this time of the year, Father was especially stressed, and hence would drink more often, about three times a week, and each time, I got the brunt of his anger. My mother was too timid and docile to fight him like she should, so I didn't care for her. The only thing she did right these days was tend to my wounds properly after my beatings. I couldn't even look at her as she began to clean me up, disinfecting and bandaging my cuts and healing my bruises.

"I'm sorry, Sasuke," she whispered, standing when she was done, making me scoff. Before she left, she added in a soft voice, "I'll bring your dinner up in a few hours." I didn't even reply, just an involuntary angry flare of my chakra being my only response. She sighed sadly when she felt it, and left me, locking the door behind her as she was always ordered to. Now that my ribs were fully healed, I decided to crawl into bed and lay there until I had to relieve myself or dinner arrived, whichever came first.

I curled up into a ball under my blanket, fingering the gold pendant my best friend, Naruto, had given me when we were eight before he moved away with his parents. I missed him dearly, and I wanted nothing more than to be wrapped in the warm arms of my friend, protected from my father's wrath. I had gained feelings for him when we were kids, even though we met when we were four, and those feelings had only become stronger over the past nine years. I wished he would visit, but I highly doubted it. I hadn't heard from him since he moved, which made me depressed. I was starting to give up on my fight to live, like my brother, Itachi, had urged me not to do, but I couldn't help it. I wanted that blonde fox back in my life, even if his parents were afraid for him to live here because of his being a jinchuuriki for the nine-tailed fox demon, Kyuubi. Yeah, I know, he houses the feared demon in his body, but that doesn't make him dangerous. He was only chosen because the last jinchuuriki was to pass away soon due to illness, and they wanted a young body to house the fox demon. I was honestly surprised when he told me, and felt honored that he trusted me enough to tell me. I didn't hate him for it, and in fact, I think him telling me made us become closer as friends.

As for Itachi, he had moved out a few years ago to live with his boyfriend, Kisame, a shark, and they lived in a house a few miles away from the village. Itachi couldn't visit often due to their adopted son, Suigetsu, who was a shark as well and already four years old now, but my brother at least tried to protect me. He always told me to keep my chin up, and look on the brighter side of things, but even his advice was becoming difficult to follow. I wasn't sure if I would even last until my 18th birthday at this rate…

X*X*X*X*X*X*X

It was Saturday, five days since my last beating, thank gods, and that meant that Father would let me out of the house so I could get out for a bit. I knew he didn't want me out at all, but he had to let me go out for a bit every week or else he'd look bad. I dressed myself in black pants and a navy blue t-shirt, and decided to walk over to Naruto's old home to see if anyone had moved in yet, like I did every week, and then I would scare them off with stupid shit that made them not want it anymore. As I got closer, I was surprised to catch a faint trace of a familiar scent coming from the house, and I recognized it as Naruto's. Wait a second… I thought he wouldn't be coming back! What the fuck?! I quickly ran over to the fence, and listened carefully for my best friend's loud voice. I didn't have to wait long, however, as I heard him complaining to his parents, Kushina and Minato.

"But what if he doesn't care about me anymore, Mom?" he asked them.

"I'm sure he still cares about you, Naruto," Kushina assured her son.

"In fact, why don't you check outside?" Minato's voice smirked, and I blinked in surprise, having no time to react before I was suddenly tackled onto the grass with a loud yell of my name by none other than Naruto Uzumaki himself.

"Sasuke!" he grinned down at me, his sapphire eyes shining joyfully. "It's been way too damn long!"

"Naruto?" I blinked, my onyx eyes wide with disbelief at the sight of my best friend and crush, who was wearing a pair of blue pants and an orange t-shirt. "When the hell did you come back?"

"Oh, we moved back in last night, and I hadn't come by yet because I was nervous you wouldn't want to be friends anymore," he admitted sheepishly, flicking his ears a little with nervousness.

"Naruto, why don't you get off of Sasuke so he can breathe properly, and then we can talk more inside?" Kushina called, and I looked to see her smiling at us, her red fox tail swishing. Naruto seemed to realize what she said, and he quickly stood, offering his hand to me. I accepted it, and he pulled me up. Once we were inside, the blonde led me to the living room, which was exactly as I remembered it before they moved, except with some more family photos around the room now. Minato was sitting in his arm chair, and he grinned when he saw us.

"It's good to see you again, Sasuke," he greeted, shaking hands with me. "You've grown quite a bit."

"So have I!" Naruto huffed. Minato chuckled and ruffled his hair and ears, making his son yelp as I sat on the couch.

"Yes, but we haven't seen Sasuke in nine years, and we've seen you daily," he pointed out. My friend grinned before pouncing on me on the couch, hugging me happily.

"I'm so glad you're still here in Konoha!" he crowed.

"Why wouldn't I be?" I asked.

"Your family could have moved, too," he pointed out with a pout. "But seriously, you have no idea how good it is to be back." He then noticed the necklace I was wearing. "You still have it?"

"Of course," I murmured. "You're my best friend. How could I not have kept it?"

"Well, I still have the one you gave me," he smiled, pulling out the silver necklace I gave him from under his shirt. "I never take it off except to clean it so it keeps its shine."

"Same here," I told him. "I'm glad you're back."

"I hear ya! I'm glad we came back, too!" he laughed. "Wanna walk for a bit? We can talk at our spot." I knew where he meant, and I nodded eagerly.

"Sounds good," I agreed. We got up from the couch and Minato nodded to us in understanding as we left, knowing we needed to catch up. We walked in a comfortable silence to our secret spot, a hidden spring in a cave that had some beautiful blue flowers growing in a patch of sunlight from a hole in the ceiling of the cave. Once we arrived, we sat down next to each other on the grass around the flowers.

"So, what all have you been up to over the past nine years since I left, Sasuke?" Naruto asked, looking at me, his expression genuinely curious. I thought quickly for some fibs, not wanting to tell him about my beatings at all.

"I've been training hard at focusing my chakra," I began, partially telling the truth. I had trained with my chakra, but only when Itachi came over or on my own when Father wasn't beating me. "It was difficult at first, but it's been worth it. Itachi moved out a few years back to live with Kisame, and they adopted a kid named Suigetsu. He's four years old now." I smiled slightly at the thought of my adopted nephew, making Naruto smile as well. "I've mainly been training, but like I said before, it was difficult at first."

"Why's that?" he frowned.

"…I was depressed…" I muttered. The blonde fox turned to face me, his expression saddened and guilty.

"About me leaving, right?" he guessed, and I felt my eyes start to burn with the oncoming tears. My best friend noticed, and he pulled me close to him in a comforting hug, my ears going back at the kind gesture. Only Itachi had hugged me when he was home after Naruto had moved, and even that wasn't as comforting as this. I couldn't keep them back any longer, and for the first time in nine years, I let myself cry into his shoulder. I hadn't cried since the day after he'd moved away, and right now, it felt good to finally let it out.

"You have…no damn idea…how much I fucking missed you," I whimpered against his shirt in between sobs.

"I missed you, too, Sasuke," he mumbled. "So fucking much." We stayed like that for a while, him comforting me by rubbing my back soothingly as he continued to hug me, and eventually, I calmed down enough to speak.

"Promise me you'll never leave again, Naruto," I whispered. "I don't think I could handle it again if you did…" He placed his fluffy blonde tail on my waist, warming me up a bit.

"I won't, I promise," Naruto swore. I pulled back, noticing the tear-staining on his shirt, and apologized. "Don't worry about it," he laughed. "It'll dry."

"All right…" I murmured, lightly biting my lip with one of my longer canines. Naruto smiled gently, making me relax, and I smiled back. "So, how was it in Suna?" I asked, deciding to focus on him.

"It was good! Lonely at first, but I made a friend who's like me," he grinned. "His name is Gaara, and he's a jinchuuriki, too. He houses the one-tailed raccoon dog demon, Shukaku."

"What's he like?" I inquired, genuinely curious.

"He's got short red hair, green eyes, and is smaller than most, but he's an amazing fighter," he told me. "He was pretty antisocial at first, but he warmed up to me."

"You mean you forced him to be your friend, right?" I chuckled, a purr rumbling softly in my chest.

"Pretty much!" he laughed. "But Gaara's a nice guy once you get to know him. Quiet and short-tempered, but nice. He said he'll be visiting in a few weeks, probably."

"Sounds good. I'd like to meet him then," I said. The blonde grinned at me, pleased with my response. We continued to chat until sunset, and then I started to get up.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Nothing's wrong. I just have to get home or else I'll be in trouble," I sighed.

"Your dad still has a curfew set, huh?" the fox assumed.

"Yup, you got it," I nodded. "I'll see you soon?"

"Of course! See if you can stay over at my house sometime, okay?" Naruto said, and I smiled in response.

"Definitely. See you, man," I smiled, and then left for home. When I got there, I was pleasantly surprised to see Itachi was visiting. "Itachi!"

"Hello, little brother," he greeted kindly. "Mother and Father went out for dinner, and asked me to fix you something whenever you came home. Where did you go today?"

"I stopped by Naruto's house," I replied. "He's moved back in with his family!" My brother's eyes widened in surprise.

"Really now? That's good to hear," he commented. "I'm glad you have him back. When will you tell him?"

"Tell him what?" I frowned, confused.

"How you feel about him. I know you love him," he smirked.

"It's too soon," I muttered, blushing. "He just came home, Itachi! I'll give it some time and then I might tell him."

"All right, if you say so," Itachi chuckled, and then began to make some dinner for us. As he cooked, I decided to catch up with him since he hadn't visited in two months.

"How's Suigetsu doing? Is Kisame handling parenthood better than before?" I asked.

"Suigetsu has been very well. He's got Kisame wrapped around his finger," he told me, smiling. "Whatever that boy wants, Kisame is happy to give it to him."

"Sounds like the kid's got him whipped," I laughed, and Itachi nodded with a roll of his dark eyes.

"Indeed," he snorted. Soon after, the older raven-haired cat brought dinner over, and we ate in a comfortable silence for a while. "Have you thought about what you want to do for your 18th birthday in a few weeks?"

"Not really. I don't think Father will let me celebrate it…" I sighed, lowering my gaze to stare at my food.

"I'll try and convince him. Besides, you'll be able to move out once you're 18," he pointed out. "And then you won't have to suffer from his drunken wrath anymore…"

"…Mother told you, didn't she?" I assumed. She always told him about my beatings out of Father's hearing whenever Itachi visited.

"That's right. Now, if Naruto hadn't moved back already, I was going to offer that you could live with Kisame, Suigetsu, and me until you're 18," my brother told me. I blinked at him, surprised, but knew I couldn't. "But I know you'll stay wherever Naruto is."

"Damn straight," I muttered, glaring at Father's favorite chair and idly wondering how much time I had before my parents returned if I tried to burn it. I knew if Naruto found out about my beatings, though, he'd kill the man without hesitating, using Kyuubi's power to do so. Not that I was opposed to the idea, but I didn't want people to see Naruto as a monster any more than they already do. He'd been through enough as it was before they moved away, anyway. Suddenly, Itachi perked up in alarm, hearing something, and I soon caught the sound, too. It was Father, and he sounded drunk and pissed off. Mother was trying to calm him, but to no avail.

"Fugaku, dear, calm yourself. Naruto's return will only mean good for Sasuke," Mother was saying.

"Damn that fox to hell with the demon he carries, and our son with them! Why is he back?!" Father slurred. I shivered with fear, my ears folding back at the thought of Naruto being hurt by my father.

"Go upstairs, Sasuke!" Itachi ordered, his eyes flashing scarlet briefly with his sharingan. "Take your dinner, and lock the door. Mother and I will keep him occupied until he passes out."

"Thank you," I said quickly, and then grabbed my food and dashed upstairs to my room, locking the door behind me and sitting on my bed. I forced myself to eat the food, even as I heard Father yelling at Mother and Itachi in a drunken rage downstairs. My tail wrapped around my thin body for some sort of comfort, and I realized I hardly had anything to me. I didn't eat enough, not that I always got to, and I had a feeling Naruto, or even his parents, would soon notice how starved I'd become. Still, I needed to gain a little weight and get some meat back on my bones, so I continued to eat, despite the nausea from the stress as I listened to the yells and shouts downstairs. As soon as loud, staggering footsteps came close to the stairs, however, I heard a crash, and a series of shouted curses from Father.

"Fucking hell, Father! You're not going anywhere near Sasuke while I'm here!" Itachi snarled, and then a there was a muttered response, followed by a sound like skin-on-skin, and I knew my brother had punched Father, effectively knocking him out for the next several hours due to the pain and alcohol. I had finished my food by this point, but it soon felt like I was going to just throw it back up again. I took deep breaths, and managed to will away the nausea right before Itachi gently knocked on the door. I knew it was him thanks to his warm chakra he was giving off to calm me. "Sasuke? Are you still awake?"

"Yeah," I called back softly, my voice cracking. I got up and unlocked the door, allowing him in. He smiled sadly at me, and I immediately had a bad feeling.

"He's not dead, unfortunately," he grumbled. "But I did knock his foolish ass out when he insulted you again."

"Thank you," I whispered, and he hugged me.

"I'm going to stay for a few weeks, and I'll see if Kisame wants to bring Suigetsu with him so we can stay in one of the houses here in the Uchiha district until you've moved out," Itachi informed me when he pulled away to sit next to me. I gaped at him.

"You mean that?" I asked hopefully.

"Of course. Sasuke, I want to be here to protect you. In fact, how about you stay with us? That way we can plan your birthday party together without Father's interference and Mother's obedience in following his orders," he smiled. "Besides, I'm sure Suigetsu will be overjoyed to see his uncle, and to help celebrate a fun spring time birthday."

"Thank you, Itachi," I murmured gratefully.

"No need to thank me, little brother. That's what being a big brother is for. Now, let's pack your things and head over to a hotel for now. Kisame should get this message in about two hours," he said, and summoned a raven with his chakra, giving it the message for Kisame. The black bird took flight, and soon vanished among the inky darkness of the night sky. Together, we packed my suitcase, filling it neatly with all of my clothes, the few books I owned, a photo album with pictures of Naruto, his family, Itachi, and me in it, my toiletries from my bathroom that was connected to my room, shuriken and kunai, and my sword. When we finished, Mother came in, an apology written all over her face.

"Sasuke, Itachi, I'm—" she started to say, but I glared furiously at her, cutting her off.

"If you were really sorry, you wouldn't have let it come to this," I growled. "I don't want to see you or Father again."

"Respect his wishes, Mother," Itachi added. "He's been through so much, and he just wants to be happy. Don't take that from him." She merely nodded, tears starting to shimmer in her eyes.

"Look, give me some time, and I may forgive you, Mother. But I can never forgive Father," I sighed, clenching my fists angrily and glaring at the floor.

"That's all I can ask for," she murmured, lowering her gaze. She then turned and left my room, and Itachi sighed.

"Let's go, Sasuke," he said, and we were quick to leave, stepping around our unconscious father on the way out, even though I desperately wanted to kick the shit out of his ribs like he's done to me. My brother led me to a hotel that was closer to Naruto's house than my own, and we checked in, getting a suite on the top floor where there were two beds for us instead of having to share one.

"Thanks," I mumbled, setting my suitcase down by the dresser and sitting on one of the beds. I shivered violently when a cool breeze blew into the room through the open window, and Itachi sat next to me, placing a hand on my shoulder.

"Go take a shower, okay? I'm sure the warm water will do you some good," he urged, and I nodded. I grabbed a set of warm pajamas, my toiletries, and a pair of boxers from my suitcase, and then headed to the bathroom, where I stripped and stepped into the shower, cranking the water to a high temperature so it was almost scalding my skin as I cleaned myself. While I gently scrubbed my skin, being mindful of any bruises or cuts I may have still had, I thought about what I would tell Naruto. I would have to tell him why I was staying in a hotel now, as well as what had happened to me over the years. He'd demand an explanation anyway…

I finished shampooing my hair, ears, and tail, and once I had rinsed it all out, I turned the water off and stepped out into the steamy bathroom, slipping the towel around my waist and looking at myself in the mirror. I looked too thin for normal, but mercifully not anorexic thin. I had a little muscle to my arms and legs, but I knew I desperately needed to eat more. Getting dressed, I used my soft brush on my ears and tail, and combed out my hair before leaving the still-steaming bathroom to go sleep in the soft hotel room bed. I quietly bid Itachi goodnight, and he nodded with a small smile at me before I slid into the bed, covering myself with the warm blankets. I knew Father wouldn't remember what had happened, but Mother would inform him in the morning after he had recovered from his hangover. Little did I know, he would remember something extremely important that I had no clue of.

A/N: Well? I hope I did better writing this time! Now, would anyone care to take a wild guess at what Fugaku knows that Sasuke doesn't? Hint: Naruto won't even know about this, and this heavily involves him! R&R, peeps!


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Now to continue! Also, I'm gonna make Suigetsu four years old instead. So don't mind his suddenly advanced way of talking now. I wasn't sure how to make him try to talk as a one year old. I even made the changes to chapter 1. Enjoy~

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the story.

Trustworthy

Chapter 2

X*X(Sasuke's POV)X*X

Waking up in the morning sucks. I'm just gonna put that out there right now. Especially when it's loud, excited yelling outside. I groaned and rolled over, not wanting to be awake just yet. I recognized the voice from the yelling as Suigetsu's, and realized he and Kisame were here.

"Sasuke, time to get up. Your nephew is eager to see you, and I can't hold him back much longer," Itachi told me, and I felt him sit next to me on the bed.

"What time is it?" I asked tiredly, not opening my eyes yet.

"It's nine in the morning," he replied. I grumbled under my breath and finally opened my eyes, looking to see my very excited little nephew standing behind Kisame, who appeared a bit concerned. I sat up with a yawn, and Suigetsu couldn't wait any longer.

"Uncle Sasuke!" he cheered, pouncing on me. I smiled and ruffled his white hair, hugging him when he grinned at me with his sharp teeth.

"Heya squirt, how have you been?" I questioned.

"I've been awesome!" he smiled brightly. "Papa said Dad sent a message last night for us to visit, and that we get to stay here for your 18th birthday party!"

"Yup. And I'm staying with you guys in one of the Uchiha district houses, too," I told him, and he became even more excited, if that was even possible.

"Really?!" he gasped. "Yay! I never get to see you enough, Uncle Sasuke!" He said the last statement with a pout.

"Don't worry, Suigetsu. We'll hang out a lot together, and even with an old friend of mine who's moved back here," I assured him, and he became curious.

"Who is he?" the little shark boy asked, blinking cutely.

"His name is Naruto Uzumaki, and he's a fox. He's been my best friend since we were 4," I smiled.

"But I thought I was your best friend!" Suigetsu pouted again.

"You are, but Naruto's got a special place in my heart. Besides, we're family, I'll like you anyway," I chuckled, and we all laughed at his beaming expression.

"Good! I like you, too, Uncle Sasuke!" he chirped. "And I bet Naruto will like me, too, just as much as he likes you!" I didn't have the heart to tell him that wouldn't be the case, as Naruto and I had a deep bond, but I did ruffle his hair teasingly in response.

"Come on, Suigetsu. You're probably hungry after the trip here, huh?" Kisame guessed, speaking for the first time since I saw him.

"Yeah, I'm starving, Papa!" he agreed, and hopped off the bed to join Kisame.

"We'll be back with some food. Anything you guys want in particular?" the shark man asked.

"Whatever looks good," Itachi answered, and then the two left. My brother turned to face me once the door was closed, and I smiled slightly.

"Suigetsu's as energetic as ever," I remarked. "How the hell do you two keep up with him?"

"Kisame tires him out," my brother smirked. "They run all over the backyard and sometimes swim in the river when it's nice out."

"Sheesh, I think I'd barely manage to keep up with a kid like him," I sighed. "I'd probably pass out each night once he's in bed."

"You'd adapt," was the older raven's reply. "How about you take Suigetsu to go see Naruto today after you two eat? I'm sure Naruto's energy will wear the little one down."

"Sounds good," I nodded. Soon after we finished our conversation, the pair returned, each carrying two plates of food with them.

"I got you a butter croissant, Uncle Sasuke!" Suigetsu grinned, and set down the pastry in front of me. (I know it's not a Japanese food, but I was trying to think of something non-sweet but tasty.)

"Thanks squirt," I smirked, ruffling his hair again. He beamed, and then sat next to me to eat his large waffle that was drenched in maple syrup.

"So, Sasuke, what are you planning on doing for your birthday?" Kisame asked me, genuinely curious. He was a nice guy, but he liked to tease me when my mood was right. He hadn't done anything last time I saw him, but then again, he knows about the situation with my family.

"I'm not really sure, to be honest," I frowned, one ear folding back. "I hadn't thought about it at all."

"Well, considering everything that's been going on, I can't say I blame ya, kid," the shark man sighed. "Will you invite Naruto?"

"Of course! That's a given," I snorted. "Maybe just something small, between my closer friends and you guys."

"And me, too!" Suigetsu chimed in around a mouth full of waffle. I chuckled and nodded.

"And Suigetsu, of course," I smiled. "I just don't know about what kind of theme this time." I always had a theme to my birthday parties, before Naruto moved away, and I hadn't gotten to celebrate my birthday with anyone since then.

"Have you had a dragon theme yet?" Itachi asked, and I shook my head. "Then we can do that."

"Good idea," I agreed. "I'm not sure how to go about that one, though."

"Kisame and I will do the planning, you just enjoy yourself with Naruto and Suigetsu," my brother assured me.

"Thank you," I told them gratefully. I finished eating my croissant before getting up to get dressed. "I'm gonna go talk with Naruto, but I'll be back before it's late. I'm sure he wouldn't mind coming with me to pick up Suigetsu after we talk."

"No problem. Just be careful, all right?" Itachi ordered, and I nodded.

"I will be. Try not to worry too much," I smiled. I quickly got dressed in the bathroom before leaving, and as I got closer to my best friend's house, I became increasingly nervous with each step. Soon enough, though, I was at the front door, so I took a deep breath, then knocked.

"I'm coming!" Naruto's voice shouted, and I heard him running down the stairs, and then he yanked open the door, grinning widely when he saw it was me. "Hey Sasuke! How are you?"

"I'm okay," I admitted, feeling my nerves start to take hold of me. The blonde fox noticed, and his expression became concerned, one ear folding back to reflect that.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"Are your parents home?" I said instead.

"No, they went to go shopping for some groceries, why?" he frowned

"I just wanted to make sure we're alone," I muttered.

"That's fine. Come on in so we can talk," my friend told me, and I entered his home. "We'll talk in my room, just in case they come home before you're finished. I know something's weighing heavily on your mind." I nodded, and we went up to his room, where we sat on his bed. It was the same color as nine years ago, orange, just bigger. Why am I not surprised about the color? Can you just hear the sarcasm dripping from my thoughts? "So, what's going on?" Naruto questioned gently, placing a warm hand on my shoulder.

"My father tried to beat me again last night in a drunken rage, but Itachi stopped him and knocked him out," I mumbled, my ears folding back and tears beginning to sting at my eyes. The blonde's sapphire eyes widened in horror, and his jaw dropped.

"What? Why? Why would Fugaku try to beat you?" he yelped, bewildered, but then he realized I said 'again'. I curled my tail around me when the realization hit him. "He's beaten you before, hasn't he, Sasuke?"

"Yes…" I whispered, my tears starting to fall. "He began beating me shortly after you moved to Suna. It was the worst in the beginning, like he'd been holding in his rage, but they became less severe over time… He always sent in Mother afterwards to clean me up so no one would know. I got my last beating six days ago, when he broke my rib and gave me some cuts and a black eye, but Mother healed them. I think he was going to try to kill me last night if Itachi hadn't been there…" I had lowered my gaze to stare at his comforter by this point, but I looked up to see him shaking with fury as he clenched his fist. I noticed his eyes were flickering back and forth between red and blue, so I knew he was fighting with Kyuubi to keep his anger in check.

"Why didn't you tell me yesterday?" he growled.

"Because I was trying to protect you from killing him so you wouldn't be seen as a monster by the villagers," I murmured, the tears flowing freely down my cheeks. "I don't see you as one, and I never have, or will I, but I don't want those snobby bastards in the council to be stuck up about saying that they were right. Trust me, I want him dead as much as you do, but it won't help me if you're locked up."

"Then thank gods for Itachi being there," he sighed. He hugged me close to him, and I began to relax when I heard the soothing sound of his heart beating in his chest. "Sasuke, what are you going to do? No one else knows, right?"

"No, only Itachi and you know. Itachi had Kisame and Suigetsu come after we checked into a hotel last night, and I'm going to stay in an old house in the Uchiha district with them until I'm 18, then I'll get a place of my own," I answered softly. "Itachi wants to protect me, too."

"Good. I'm still grateful that he was there," he said. Suddenly, we heard his parents come home, and I stiffened. "You don't want my parents to know, huh?

"Not yet. It's too soon," I admitted, looking up at him. "I wanted to tell you because I don't want you to go anywhere near my old house where my parents are, and so you're not left wondering what happened."

"Thank you for telling me," Naruto whispered, and wiped the tears from my face. "I promise I won't tell them. But if you don't want them to catch on that something's wrong, you may want to go splash some cold water on your face in the bathroom. Your face is a bit red from crying."

"Good idea. I'll be right down," I nodded, and he let me up so I could go to the bathroom to wash my face. I splashed the cold water on my face until my skin was back to its normal pale complexion, and then I wiped the water off with a hand towel before heading downstairs. Naruto was helping Kushina and Minato put away the groceries they'd bought, and my friend looked up when I reach the kitchen.

"Hey! Feel better?" he smirked.

"Yes, thank you very much," I snorted in response, returning to our usual banter so his parents weren't suspicious. "Hi Kushina and Minato. Sorry about that."

"No worries, dear. Would you mind helping us put away the groceries?" Kushina asked. "We had to make sure we got plenty of ramen so Naruto doesn't buy any himself."

"Hey!" the blonde in question pouted.

"You know you'll eat Ichiraku's whenever you can," Minato pointed out, his tail waving in amusement.

"I don't mind," I smiled. "Oh, and my brother, his husband, and my nephew are visiting for a few weeks. Would it be okay if I brought them by later?"

"Of course! It's been too long since we saw Itachi," Minato nodded. "I didn't realize that Itachi was married now. Kisame really grew on him, huh?"

"Yeah, they had a private wedding five years ago, and then adopted Suigetsu after his parents were killed," I explained. "Suigetsu's four now, and he's a great kid. He's got enough energy to match Naruto."

"Then maybe we can sleep peacefully tonight," Kushina giggled, her ears flicking, making her husband and me laugh while Naruto huffed in annoyance. "I'm just teasing, sweetie."

"I know. C'mon, Sasuke, let's get the rest of the groceries from the cart," he said, and led me outside, where their wooden cart was piled with more groceries.

"Holy shit, how much ramen do you eat nowadays?" I asked, my onyx eyes widening in shock at the amount of instant ramen in it.

"I eat two a day, but now that we're back in Konoha, it'll probably be less since I get to eat at Ichiraku's!" he grinned.

"Don't you have to eat all of this first, though?" I frowned, confused.

"Not if you treat me to lunch there!" he laughed, and I sighed, but smiled anyway at my friend's antics.

"Well, Suigetsu will have to join us, then," I pointed out. The fox nodded in agreement.

"He'll love it!" he crowed.

"What about everyone else? I'm sure our friends would be more than happy to see you back," I asked.

"Nah, let's just keep it small, that way it's more special," he replied, a smile curving his lips.

"All right," I agreed, and we brought in more groceries.

"He suckered you into buying Ichiraku's, didn't he?" Minato guessed when we returned, carrying six bags of groceries each. We placed the bags on the counter, Naruto grinning like a Cheshire cat, but I rolled my eyes at him.

"Yes, but we're going to bring my nephew with us," I explained.

"Good to know you boys will have some fun and be able to get out for a bit," Kushina smiled. "We've got the rest, so you two go and get Suigetsu and have some fun at lunch."

"Are you sure, Mom?" Naruto frowned. "We can still help…"

"I'm certain. Go on and have some fun today! Besides, you need to get out and see your friends after so long," she assured him.

"Thanks, Mom!" the blonde smiled brightly, grabbing my hand and dragging me out of the house. Once we were out of his parents' hearing range, he asked, "So, which hotel did you guys stay at last night?"

"I'll show you the way," I told him, and he followed me to the hotel. When we arrived, Itachi was at the desk, speaking to the owner, and Kisame and Suigetsu were sitting on a bench, appearing bored. My nephew immediately perked up when he saw me, grinning widely and showing his shark teeth.

"Uncle Sasuke!" the little boy crowed, and he jumped off the bench to run over to me, tackling me into a hug. "I missed you!"

"I wasn't gone that long," I smirked. "Besides, I want to introduce you to Naruto." Naruto crouched down to Suigetsu's level, and smiled at him.

"Sasuke tells me you're a good kid," he began.

"Of course I am! I like to make friends!" Suigetsu grinned.

"Good to know," my friend chuckled. "I'm Naruto."

"I'm Suigetsu! It's nice to meet my uncle's best friend!" the shark boy chirped.

"It's been too long, Naruto," Itachi greeted, joining us with Kisame. "You look well."

"Heya Itachi, Kisame! Long time no see!" the blonde laughed. "It's good to see you guys again."

"Same here, squirt," Kisame nodded, flashing his own shark teeth. "So are you back for good?"

"Yeah, I don't plan on leaving," Naruto answered, glancing at me very briefly. I still noticed, despite how brief it was.

"Good to know. It's nice knowing that the village's light is back," Itachi smiled, and Naruto furrowed his brows in confusion. "All of your friends missed you when you left, and their families were brought down a bit by it, too. A lot of people here were affected when your family moved."

"Then I'm glad to be back, and for more than one reason," my friend nodded, and I knew he was referring to me.

"Oh, Itachi, would it be okay if you, Kisame, and Suigetsu came over to Naruto's for dinner? Kushina and Minato are eager to see you guys," I chimed in.

"Of course," my brother agreed. "It would be a pleasure to see them again. Do they know about the situation with…?" He trailed off because Suigetsu was present, and I shook my head.

"No, only Naruto does. They didn't ask about them coming over, and I hope they don't say anything," I sighed.

"They may, so be prepared to tell them, Sasuke," he advised, and I nodded. Suddenly, Naruto's stomach growled, and we all looked at him before Suigetsu, Kisame, and I burst out laughing.

"Hey, I'm hungry! How is that funny?!" the fox demanded.

"It just helped to break the tension, that's all," the older raven assured him.

"Well, since I'm starving, how about we go to Ichiraku's already?" Naruto whined, and Suigetsu looked up at him, puzzled.

"What's Ichiraku's?" he asked.

"It's an amazing ramen shop with the best homemade ramen ever!" the blonde grinned.

"And we're taking you there for lunch with us," I added.

"Really?! That's awesome!" Suigetsu exclaimed.

"Then you'd better get going!" Kisame laughed, patting his son on the back. "We'll meet you here at 5, and then we can all go to the Uzumaki household together."

"Thanks, and we'll see you then," I nodded, and Naruto led the way to Ichiraku's, Suigetsu and I right behind him. As we walked, I watched and listened to the pair as my best friend told my nephew about Ichiraku's menu. My ears flicked lightly in amusement when he mentioned the seafood ramen, and at how Suigetsu became incredibly excited for it. The boy loves fish, after all, so why wouldn't he be eager for it?

"What kind do you get, Uncle Sasuke?" the white-haired boy asked me.

"I usually get chicken, and Naruto gets pork," I answered. "I take it you're going to try the seafood one?"

"Yup!" he chirped. Out of nowhere, I heard a voice call to me, followed by a bark.

"Yo, Sasuke!" Kiba's voice yelled, and he ran up to me with Akamaru on his heels. "Haven't seen you in a week, man! Where are you going?"

"To Ichiraku's with Suigetsu and Naruto," I smirked, stepping aside to reveal the two, and he gaped, his dog ears perking up.

"WHAT?!" he yelped. "Dude, I didn't know you were back!"

"Yeah, I'm back for good this time," the blonde chuckled. "How have you been, Kiba?"

"We've all been great! Hinata and I are dating now, even though Neji's being a complete—" he started to say, but then he realized little four-year-old Suigetsu was standing there, so he corrected himself before it was too late. "—jerk about it."

"Really? I mean about you and Hinata, not about Neji. Neji being overprotective doesn't surprise me," Naruto laughed. "But seriously, I'm happy for you guys."

"Thanks, man," the dog boy grinned. "Dude, we should all meet at Ichiraku's for lunch, and catch up!" Naruto appeared to hesitate, and I remembered how he wanted to keep it a small gathering of just the three of us, but I decided I wanted to have a distraction.

"Sure," I nodded. "Go ahead and get everyone. Just make sure to warn Ino so Sai doesn't pull anything." Sai used to tease Naruto all the time when we were kids, so I didn't want him to start a fight when we're supposed to be having a good time.

"Awesome, we'll meet you there!" Kiba shouted, already running off to find everyone with Akamaru on his heels.

"Sasuke! I wanted it to be just the three of us!" Naruto pouted once they were gone.

"I thought we could use a distraction," I pointed out. Mercifully, he took the hint, and nodded, not saying anything due to Suigetsu's presence. (Remember, Suigetsu still doesn't know about Sasuke's beatings from Fugaku.)

"I can't wait to meet your friends, Uncle Sasuke!" Suigetsu cheered.

"It'll be good to see them," I agreed, and we continued on our way to Ichiraku's. Shortly after we got there, our friends arrived, led by Kiba, Akamaru, and Hinata, the latter of which was still shy as ever, matching her mouse traits. We got a large table to sit at while we ate, and I introduced Suigetsu to everyone, and vice versa. Everyone, especially Sakura and Ino, fawned over my nephew, and he blushed shyly from all of the attention. But more than anything, they were all ecstatic to see Naruto again after nine years of his absence.

"So what was Suna like, Naruto?" Sakura, a rabbit, asked.

"Very hot and sandy, but I adjusted to it," the fox replied.

"Were they more accepting of you being a jinchuuriki?" Ino, a pig, inquired as Sai, a weasel, wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

"Yeah, especially since my friend there is one, and he's shown his worth without Shukaku."

"What's his name?" Lee, a turtle, questioned. Now, despite his hybrid, Lee was very fast, especially when he took off the weights he has strapped to his legs.

"Gaara. He's quiet and not very social, but he's a loyal and good friend once you earn his trust," Naruto answered.

"Why did you move back, Naruto? If you seemed okay there," Neji, a mountain lion, frowned. I wanted to punch the motherfucker in the face for asking such a stupid question. Everyone else tensed at the insensible inquiry.

"My parents and I missed Konoha, and we decided to chance coming back in case things had changed since we left," the blonde shrugged casually, but I could sense his unease at the question.

"Well, we're glad you're back after so long," Choji, a bear, smiled, breaking the tension.

"Same here," Naruto laughed, the sound coming out a little forced.

"S-so, Itachi's b-back in t-town for a while?" Hinata asked me, changing the subject.

"Yeah, he and Kisame are going to help me plan my 18th birthday party," I chuckled.

"Uncle Sasuke wants a dragon theme!" Suigetsu piped up cutely when he finished draining the broth from his bowl, and I ruffled his hair affectionately.

"Really? You hadn't told me that yet," Naruto smirked, and then finished off his ramen.

"Key word: yet," I retorted, eating the last piece of chicken from mine. We continued to catch up with each other, talking until we had all finished our food, and then each paid our own tabs, except I paid for mine, Naruto's, and Suigetsu's. Mercifully, Sai didn't say a damn thing to piss Naruto off. We bid our friends farewell, and then left. Once outside, I checked the time, and realized it was already 4:30. "Well, do you guys want to head back to meet up with Itachi and Kisame?"

"Sounds good to me," Naruto shrugged, a content smile curving his lips. Probably due to just getting two bowls of ramen on me. We headed back to the hotel, where my brother and his husband were already waiting for us.

"Dad! Papa!" Suigetsu called out, running ahead of us to greet them.

"Heya squirt," Kisame laughed, ruffling the shark boy's hair. "Did you enjoy the ramen?"

"Yeah! And I got to meet all of Uncle Sasuke's friends! They're all really nice!" he grinned. Itachi gave me a curious look at the boy's statement.

"Kiba and Akamaru saw us, so we agreed to have everyone meet us there so we could catch up," I shrugged.

"Well, I'm glad you all had fun," my brother smiled. "Now, let's go to the Uzumaki household."

"All right! Follow me!" Naruto crowed, and he led the way to his house, where Minato and Kushina greeted my brother and his family warmly.

"It's good to see you all," Minato said. "And it's nice to meet you, Suigetsu." He smiled at the young boy.

"It's nice to meet you, too, Mr. Uzumaki!" Suigetsu greeted enthusiastically. (Sorry, but it's easier for me to just stick with Minato and Kushina both being Uzumaki.)

"Just call me Minato," he chuckled.

"And call me Kushina," Kushina added before she was called Mrs. Uzumaki. Not that it's a bad thing, but she says it makes her feel old. At least, that was what she said when Naruto and I were kids.

"Okay," Suigetsu nodded.

"I hope you like pork," Kushina told us as she had us walk into their home. It certainly smelled delicious, no matter how she cooked the pork.

"It smells heavenly," Itachi commented as she led us to the living room.

"Thank you," she giggled. "It should be ready in about 15 more minutes. Can I get you boys anything?"

"I'm okay, but thank you," I answered politely.

"Can I have some water, please?" Suigetsu asked.

"Of course, sweetie," she smiled, and disappeared into the kitchen, returning shortly after with a glass of ice water for him. She handed to him, earning a thank you in return before going back to the kitchen.

"So, how come you're here, Itachi?" Minato inquired, genuinely curious.

"Kisame and I are planning Sasuke's 18th birthday party, since it's in a few weeks," the raven answered, sitting on the couch with Kisame and Suigetsu. Naruto and I sat on the loveseat as they spoke. "Of course, I'll extend the invitation to Naruto and his family."

"I would certainly like to think we're invited!" the older blonde laughed. "After all, it'll be nice to see Sasuke having a good time again. Kushina will definitely want to make the cake, that's for certain."

"That would be amazing!" I exclaimed. Kushina makes the best cake for anyone ever. "I missed her cooking, anyway!"

"You won't have long to wait, then," Kushina called with a giggle from the kitchen, and the sweet scent of barbecued pork drifted through the living room.

"So, how's Fugaku been? I'm sure he's been working his ass off as always," the older fox questioned with a chuckle, and immediately, I stiffened. Naruto felt the action, and he gave me a pointed look. One that read, 'Just tell them!'

"He's been horrible," I muttered as my ears folded back. Minato watched me with a concerned gaze as I next spoke, my body shaking slightly. "I'm not living with my parents anymore."

"Hang on," he said gently, and retrieved Kushina, who wore a worried expression when she saw how upset I was.

"What happened with your parents, Sasuke?" she asked. I heard Itachi and Kisame lead Suigetsu outside, to which I was grateful. I didn't want my four-year-old nephew to hear this yet.

"Ever since you guys moved away, Father began to beat me severely," I began, drawing my knees to my chest and wrapping my tail around myself for comfort. Tears formed in my eyes as I continued. "It was the worst in the beginning, like he'd been holding it in for a long time, but he eased up after a while. Sometimes he just wouldn't feed me for a week, making Mother bring in a pitcher of water once a day. That's why I'm so thin…" I shook my head to get back on track. "Each time he would beat me, he was always drunk. Rarely was he sober when it would happen. He wouldn't touch me if Itachi was around, but that's because he knows Itachi can protect me. After every beating, he would send Mother in to treat my wounds and injuries, just so no one would know. She's done nothing to stop him. He's been beating me almost every week for the past nine years." Kushina gasped in horror, and Minato glared at the carpet, clenching his fists tightly.

"How did you get out of that situation?" the redhead breathed, tears forming in her eyes.

"Itachi was there last night when Father came home drunk, but before he could even make it up the stairs, Itachi knocked him out," I explained softly, shuddering heavily as the tears flowed down my cheeks. "I'm staying with Itachi, Kisame, and Suigetsu in an old house in the Uchiha district until I'm 18, and then I'm going to get my own place." I choked out a sob, and Naruto wrapped his arms around me comfortingly.

"I'm so sorry, Sasuke…" Kushina whispered, hugging me as well.

"It's not like it's your fault," I mumbled. "How could you have known that would happen?"

"Still…" she murmured. "I feel guilty."

"Don't," I pleaded. "I didn't even want to tell Naruto, but I knew he would either figure it out or become curious when he realized I wasn't at my parents' house."

"I'm glad you told us," Minato said, finally speaking up when he was calm. "Sasuke, you can feel free to stay with us as well, if you want. Don't feel like a stranger. You're practically part of our family. We can set up the guest room for you so you can stay there whenever you want."

"Thank you," I smiled gratefully. The rest of the evening was spent in a different atmosphere, one that made me feel better, more comfortable. I wasn't hiding anything from them, and I felt a little lighter, as though a load had been taken off of my shoulders. By the time the evening had turned into night, Suigetsu was asleep in Kisame's arms, and Itachi gave me a knowing look. He knew I was planning on staying here instead of at the hotel, or even with him.

"I'll bring your belongings by once we get Suigetsu settled in," he told me before leaving. He understood that I wanted to be close to my best friend, and knew that the comfort he gave me wasn't enough compared Naruto's.

"I take it you're staying here, Sasuke?" Naruto asked softly as I leaned against him tiredly.

"Yeah, if that's okay," I mumbled.

"It's perfectly fine," Kushina assured me. "I'll get the guest room set up."

"Thank you, Kushina," I smiled sleepily.

"You're welcome, sweetie," she replied warmly. It took about a half an hour until she returned, and Itachi was at the door with my stuff.

"Thank you for taking care of him, Kushina," I heard Itachi tell her gratefully.

"Of course. He's like a second son to me," she said.

"I know Minato is furious, but try to keep him from doing anything irrational," my brother warned her. I assumed she nodded, because he bid her goodnight before she did the same and shut the door, locking it as well.

"Let's get you to bed, Sasuke," the blonde fox I was resting on murmured. Sighing heavily, I got up, a little dizzy from my exhaustion, and we went to the guest room, where my suitcase was, and he hugged me. "I'm here for you, Sasuke. If you need me, come get me, okay?"

"All right," I nodded. "Thank you for everything tonight, Naruto…"

"No problem," he smiled softly. "Goodnight, Sasuke."

"Goodnight, Naruto," I whispered, and he left, closing the door behind him. Sighing heavily again, I changed into a pair of pajama bottoms and a t-shirt, and then crawled into the soft bed. It was so comfortable that it allowed me to drift off to sleep as soon as I turned off the light and was curled up under the covers. Hopefully, I'll soon be able to tell Naruto how I feel about him…

A/N: FINALLY! I couldn't end this chapter sooner if I tried! Sheesh! Sorry about the notes in parenthesis, they're just little tidbits from me. Next chapter is a time skip! R&R, peeps!


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